Shock absorber with compliant members

Abstract

The present invention provides a shock absorber with compliant members. Shock absorption is provided by the bending and rebound of curved, flexible arms. The deflection and the damping capabilities of the shock absorber are determined by the dimensions, curvature, and material modulus of elasticity of these compliant members. The shock absorber with compliant members technology may be applied to a bicycle front fork shock absorber and a rear shock absorber, both described herein. The benefits of a shock absorber with compliant members are that it is light-weight, it is simple in design, it has few movable joints, it can be designed to have precise flexion and damping characteristics, and it is resilient in harsh conditions.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]Priority is claimed for the following prior-filed U.S. provisional patent application No. 61 / 459,374, which was filed Dec. 13, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND[0002]The present invention relates generally to shock absorbers and refers more particularly to shock absorbers of the compliant type.[0003]Advances in the field of shock absorbers have given rise to a great number of shock absorber solutions of many varieties. Shock absorbers are used where the damping of shock impulse and kinetic energy is required. These shock absorbers are tuned to have specific capacity ratings and damping coefficients. Some applications include machinery, automobiles, motorcycles, and bicycles. Current shock absorbers of the piston type utilize hydraulic, pneumatic, or coil spring technology, or a combination of these to provide damping.[0004]Compliant mechanisms in many forms have been used for centuries, however the...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]The embodiments described below and in the claims relate to shock absorbers with compliant members. These devices are generally useful as shock absorbers for bicycles, motorcycles, automobiles, and other machinery where piston-type, pneumatic, hydraulic, or coil-spring-type shock absorbers are otherwise utilized. The benefits of a shock absorber with compliant members are that it is light-weight, it is simple in design, it has few movable joints, it can be designed to have precise flexion and damping characteristics, and it is resilient in harsh conditions.

[0013]In some embodiments, the shape and dimensions of the compliant members varies. A typical shape of a compliant member is curved similar to the bow, with the thickness of the compliant member being less than the length and width so that the compliant member flexes in the direction of the curvature when compressed while resisting flexion in the lateral direction. A typical cross-sectional shape of a compliant member is rectangular. The cross-sectional shape can also be elliptical, triangular, bent-rectangular, and a myriad of other shapes that allow for flexion in a specific direction. The cross-sectional shape can be constant or vary throughout the compliant member, depending on the desired flexural and damping characteristics of the compliant member. The length, width, thickness, and curvature of the compliant member can vary depending on the desired flexural and damping characteristics of the compliant member. The number of curves of a compliant member varies to alter the amount of displacement in the horizontal direction while maintaining similar vertical displacement. In some embodiments, the shape of a compliant member can be modified so that the stresses throughout the member are constant. This will reduce the amount of material used in a compliant member while maintaining similar flexion and damping characteristics.

Problems solved by technology

Due to the materials used and the robust design, bicycle shock absorbers are relatively heavy.

Heavy bicycle components are undesirable to bicycle riders because more physical exertion is required to ride a heavy bicycle.

Additionally, bicycle shock absorbers are exposed to dirty, muddy, sandy, and wet environmental conditions.

Shock absorbers with moving, sliding, rotating, and twisting parts can potentially become functionally impaired from the environmental conditions described above.

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